Game controller for a pivotable handheld computing device

ABSTRACT

A game controller for a handheld computing device is disclosed. The game controller includes a body portion and a cradle pivotally attached to the body portion. The cradle configured and arranged to hold a handheld computing device therein. A number of controls are located on the body portion. A circuit is included that is configured and arranged to detect the state of the controls and transmit the state to the handheld computing device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/587,414, filed on Jan. 17, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present patent document relates generally to handheld computing devices, such as smartphones, music players, portable game systems, personal data assistants, and the like, and more particularly to a game controller for such devices.

2. Background of the Related Art

Consumer acceptance of smartphones, PDAs, music players has exploded in the marketplace. Consumers have also embraced mobile apps and other downloadable software for these handheld computing devices. In particular, video games have become quite popular. However, these handheld computing devices lack controls specific to gaming, such as a D-pad, spaced-apart action buttons, triggers, joysticks and the like.

Furthermore, most handheld computing devices have rectangular screens and different video games have been designed to be played in either a landscape or a portrait orientation, but typically not both.

Therefore, there is a perceived need in the industry for a device to interface with a handheld computing device that provides video game controls users are accustomed to having when playing video games. There is also a need for a device to permit a user to play video games in a portrait or landscape mode.

SUMMARY

The game controller described herein solves the problems of the prior art by providing a game controller that includes a pivoting cradle that permits that handheld computing device to be positioned in landscape or portrait orientation as desired by the user. The game controller includes buttons, triggers, D-pads and other standard video game controls that user have become accustomed to using play video games

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game controller with the pivoting cradle locked in a landscape orientation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game controller with the pivoting cradle locked in a portrait orientation;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the pivoting cradle;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view through line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the body portion of the game controller;

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom cross-section view of the body portion and pivoting cradle engaged in the landscape orientation;

FIG. 7 is a partial bottom cross-section view of the body portion and pivoting cradle engaged in the portrait orientation;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the game controller is shown generally at 10. The game controller 10 includes a body portion 12 and a pivoting cradle 14 rotatably attached thereto. The pivoting cradle 14 includes a recess to capture a handheld computing device 16 therein. The body portion 12 includes a plurality of game controls 20 for interacting with a video game running on the handheld computing device 18.

The body portion includes a number of controls. A D-pad 20 a and a number of triggers 20 b and buttons 20 c are shown (“controls” 20 collectively). A circuit 21 inside the body portion detects D-pad 20 a, trigger 20 b, and button 20 c presses and releases of the controls 20 and transmits the state of the controls 20 to the handheld computing device 16. Transmission of the state of the controls 20 to the handheld computing device 16 may be done wirelessly, such as through a Bluetooth connection, or by a wired connection as is known in the art. Details of the transmission method need not be described herein as one skilled in the art would be familiar with the implementation.

The pivoting cradle 14 includes a recess 15 for securing the handheld computing device 16 therein. The rear of the pivoting cradle 12 (best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4) includes a raised mounting point 22 with an aperture 24 for pivotally attaching the pivoting cradle to 14 the body portion 12. A collar 26 surrounds the raised mounting point 22 and includes a pair of spring-biased ball detents 28. The collar 26 is configured to set into a seat in the body portion 12, best seen in FIG. 5. Adjacent to the collar 26 are a pair of semi-circular raised lips 30 that partially surround the collar 26.

Referring to FIG. 5, the body portion 12 includes a recessed area 32 to receive the pivoting cradle. The raised lips 30 on the pivoting cradle 14 contact the recessed area 32 and lift the pivoting cradle 12 up off of the recessed area 32 thereby reducing friction for turning the pivoting cradle 14. A seat 34 is formed on the recessed area 32 to receive the collar 26 of the pivoting cradle 14. The collar 26 fits over an annular wall 36 inside the seat 34 and the annular wall 36 receives the raised mounting point 22. An aperture 38 is formed within the annular wall 36. The pivoting cradle 14 and body portion 12 are secured together with an axle, rod, screw or bolt 40 that is passed through the aperture 38 on the body portion 12 and into the aperture 24 on the raised mounting point 22 of the cradle 14.

Inside the seat 34, a circular track 42 with four stop points 44 is formed. The circular track 42 receives the ball detents 28. The four stop points 44 allow the ball detents 28 to fully sit thereby locking the pivoting cradle 14 in either a portrait or landscape orientation relative to the body portion 12, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. The spring tension biasing the ball detents 28 is strong enough to secure the pivoting cradle 14 in the landscape or portrait orientation. However, a user may overcome the spring tension by applying torque to the pivoting cradle 14. With sufficient force, the ball detents 28 jump out of the stop points 44 and into the circular track 42 where the user may reposition the pivoting cradle 14 to a different orientation. Although two ball detents 28 with four stop points 44 are shown, other numbers of ball detents 28 and top points 44 may be used as desired.

The pivoting cradle 14 further includes an elastic lip 46 adapted to receive different handheld computing devices 16 therein. The elastic lip 46 stretches to accommodate the handheld computing device 16 and captures the handheld computing device securely within the recess 15 the cradle 14. An optional insert may be included to attach to smaller devices in order to make them sufficient bulky to be captured inside the elastic lip 46. As can be seen, this arrangement permits the user to use the game controller 10 with a variety of handheld computing devices 16, whose dimensions are close but not identical to one another. Furthermore, the use of elastic materials in the pivoting cradle 14 provides additional shock absorption in the event the game controller 10 is dropped with a handheld computing device 16 contained therein.

It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed:
 1. A game controller, comprising: a body portion a cradle pivotally attached to the body portion, the cradle configured and arranged to hold a handheld computing device therein; a plurality of controls on the body portion; and a circuit configured and arranged to detect the state of the plurality of controls and transmit the state of the plurality of controls to the handheld computing device.
 2. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the cradle is pivotable to a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.
 3. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the cradle includes an elastic lip configured and arranged to receive a handheld computing device therein.
 4. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the cradle includes a raised mounting point surrounded by a collar and the body portion includes a seat for receiving the mounting pointing point and collar.
 5. The game controller of claim 4, wherein the collar rotates on a circular track in the seat and further includes a ball detent that engages a stop in the circular track.
 6. The game controller of claim 4, further comprising a pair of semi-circular raised lips partially surrounding the collar.
 7. The game controller of claim 4, wherein the seat further includes an annular wall received between the collar fitting and the raised mounting point.
 8. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the cradle is pivotally mounted to the body portion via an axle that is passed through an aperture on the body portion and into an aperture on the cradle.
 9. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the cradle further includes a recess configured and arranged to receive the handheld computing device therein.
 10. The game controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controls are selected from the group consisting essentially of D-Pad, button and trigger.
 11. A game controller, comprising: a body portion a cradle pivotally attached to the body portion wherein the cradle is pivotable to a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation; the cradle configured and arranged to hold a handheld computing device therein; a plurality of controls on the body portion; and a circuit configured and arranged to detect the state of the plurality of controls and transmit the state of the plurality of controls to the handheld computing device.
 12. The game controller of claim 11, wherein the cradle includes an elastic lip configured and arranged to receive a handheld computing device therein.
 13. The game controller of claim 11, wherein the cradle includes a ball detent that selectively engages a stop on the body portion to selectively lock the cradle in the portrait and the landscape orientations.
 14. The game controller of claim 11, wherein the cradle is pivotally mounted to the body portion via an axle that is passed through an aperture on the body portion and into an aperture on the cradle.
 15. The game controller of claim 11, wherein the cradle further includes a recess configured and arranged to receive the handheld computing device therein.
 16. A game controller, comprising: a body portion a cradle pivotally attached to the body portion, the cradle including a recess surrounded by an elastic lip configured and arranged to hold a handheld computing device therein; a plurality of controls on the body portion; and a circuit configured and arranged to detect the state of the plurality of controls and transmit the state of the plurality of controls to the handheld computing device.
 17. The game controller of claim 16, wherein the cradle is pivotable to a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.
 18. The game controller of claim 16, wherein the cradle is pivotally mounted to the body portion via an axle that is passed through an aperture on the body portion and into an aperture on the cradle.
 19. The game controller of claim 11, wherein the cradle includes a ball detent that selectively engages a stop on the body portion to selectively lock the cradle in the portrait and the landscape orientations. 